Research On The Impact Of Digital Economy On Urban Carbon Emissions

Our country is in a new stage of development,where the digital economy is leading the society to undergo a "digital transformation" and providing strong impetus for the economic recovery of various countries.At the same time,the relationship between the digital economy and carbon emissions is increasingly valued,and the application of digital technology in the energy system can not only save energy,reduce emissions,and improve energy efficiency,but also promote the innovation of decarbonization and negative carbon technologies.The digital economy is an important breakthrough for low-carbon innovation and for accelerating low-carbon transformation in industry,as well as an important opportunity for achieving the ’two-carbon target’ and for lowcarbon regional development.Therefore,exploring the relationship and pathways between the digital economy and regional carbon emissions is of great significance.This article focuses on the following specific work: In terms of theory,based on an overview of the relevant literature in Switzerland and abroad,this study examines the connotation,measurement theory,and related research of the digital economy,and proposes a definition and measurement framework for this research.At the same time,the theoretical basis for measuring carbon emissions and their influencing factors is summarized.Regarding mechanisms for the impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions,this study analyzes it from three aspects: technological progress,energy structure,and foreign direct investment.In terms of empirical research,this study measures the digital economy index and carbon emissions of 283 cities in China from2011 to 2019 and conducts horizontal and vertical comparative analysis.Based on this,a static panel data model,a system GMM model,and a spatial Durbin model are established to test the impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions,and a mediation model is used to test the impact mechanism.Finally,the heterogeneity of the impact differences in the eastern,central,and western regions is analyzed.The study shows that the digital economy has had a positive impact on carbon reduction.This conclusion is validated through robustness checks such as adjusting the explained variables,core explanatory variables,and adding control variables.The results of the proxy test show that the carbon impact of the digital economy is mainly achieved through a combination of transfer mechanisms such as technological development,foreign direct investment and energy sources.Among them,the pathway of technological progress and foreign direct investment can reduce carbon emissions,but the digital economy can increase the proportion of coal in energy,thereby increasing the level of carbon emissions.Furthermore,the development of the digital economy in the eastern region reduces carbon emissions,while the central and western regions lead to an increase in carbon emissions;the inhibiting effect of the digital economy on carbon emissions is positively correlated with city size.Finally,the study found that the impact of the digital economy on carbon dioxide emissions has a significant regional spillover effect,that is,the digital economy can not only reduce the carbon emissions in the local area but also inhibit the growth of carbon emissions in adjacent areas.Among these impacts,even more important is the indirect impact of the digital economy on reducing carbon emissions.Finally,based on the research results,this paper makes several policy recommendations: First,to increase the speed and quality of digital economic development,promote the connottion growth of the digital economy,and provide impetus for China’s carbon neutrality goal.Second,to strengthen inter-regional cooperation and form a coordinated carbon reduction pattern for regional development.Third,to increase investment in digital technology and create a more ecological digital technology development model.Fourth,to formulate digital economic development strategies according to local conditions,promote the overall development of China’s digital economy,and narrow the digital divide.